Programming is a valuable skill, though one that can be daunting to learn. Throw hardware in the mix, and things ratchet up another level again. However, there are many projects that have sought to reduce the level of difficulty for newcomers. HeyTeddy is a new project that allows users to program an Arduino with voice commands, and the help of on-screen tutorials.

It’s a system that initially sounds cumbersome, but through smart design, is actually quite streamlined. Users can talk to the system, which uses an Amazon Alexa device for natural language voice recognition. This enables HeyTeddy to respond to questions like “how do I use a flex sensor?” as well as direct commands, such as “Set pin 10 to 250”.

The demo video does a great job of demonstrating the system. While the system is not suited to professional development tasks, its has value as an educational tool for beginners. The system is able to guide users through both hardware setup on a breadboard, as well as guide them through tests when things don’t work. Once their experience level builds, code can be exported to the Arduino IDE for direct editing.

It’s a great tool that has plenty of promise to bring many more users into the hardware hacking fold. It’s out of the workshop of [MAKInteract], whose work we’ve seen before. Video after the break.

It’s time to introduce you to another great tutorial made for  Intel Edison.  Mimic Monster is a project allowing you to record soundbites and playing them back manipulated.
In this step-by-step project, everyone who is interested in audio features and mods , can find useful information on how to manipulate audio files and create amazing effects from your voice.

Grawr! It’s a mimic monster! What did you say? Grawr! It’s the mimic monster!

Having landed on Earth, this little alien needs you to teach it how to speak. Speak into its audio antenna and it will repeat your words back. Press a button and change its pitch. In this tutorial, you will learn in more detail, how to work with a USB sound card, a microphone, and a speaker.

Before you begin, make sure you’ve followed through Intel® Edison Getting Started guide, and our previous tutorial, the Intel® Edison mini-breakout Getting Started Guide.

 Check the other tutorials of the series.

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Amanda Ghassaei made a vocal effects box that digitizes the human voice using the granular synthesis function on Arduino. Audio comes in at 40khz, is digitized, then outputted in 8 bit sound.

Melodies sung are distinct in both tone and timbre, as evidenced by the Somewhere Over the Grainbow sample track. But the granular synthesis introduces it’s own distinct tonal characteristics to change the sound as it’s being digitized. The result could easily be blended into your favorite electronic tracks.

Amanda posted an Instructable on the project, including steps on how to create the handsome triangular enclosure she made.

[via The Arduino Blog]

This device is surely the answer to every DIYer’s prayers. As a do-it-yourselfer, you probably have piles of miscellaneous components and parts left over from various projects. Keeping them organized can be nearly impossible – Until now.  StorageBot is a voice-activated system which finds components on demand and delivers them to you:

The StorageBot uses an X and Y storage matrix to easily find parts.  When you request a part, the corresponding drawer is pushed open.  Stepper motors and gears provide the mechanics while Arduino and Visual Basic power its brain.  Check out the complete project instructions to build your own.

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